Table of Contents
Part I Stuck Stories
Story Mapping and Story Writing 1
Stuck Idea Bank 3
Teacher Models and Student Exercises 6
Stuck Story List and Idea Bank 24
Modelling with the Stuck Poster 27
Stuck Story Poster 41
Part II Copycat Stories 51
Copycat Idea Bank 53
Teacher Models and Student Exercises 55
Copycat Story List and Idea Bank 70
Modelling with the Copycat Poster 73
Copycat Story Poster 92
Part III Contest Stories 103
Contest Idea Bank 107
Teacher Models and Student Exercises 109
Contest Story List and Idea Bank 126
Modelling with the Contest Poster 129
Contest Story Map Poster 140
Part IV Circle Stories and Story Outlines 153
Circle Idea Bank 156
Teacher Models and Student Exercises 158
Circle Story List and Idea Bank 168
Modelling with the Circle Poster 171
Keys for Planning Circle Story Subplots 181
Circle Story Poster 196
Part V The No Fail Picture Prompt Exam Outline 202
Teaching Steps 204
Sample Picture Prompts 208
Test Pictures and Sample Outlines 219
Part VI Switch Stories 228
Modelling with the Switch Poster 233
Switch Story List 234
Switch Idea Bank 235
Keys for Planning Switch Story Subplots 235
Teacher Models and Student Exercises 239
Switch Story Map Poster
Part VII Character Transformation Stories 264
Keys for Planning Transformation Story Subplots 267
Physical Transformation Stories 268
Transformation Idea Bank 269
Modelling with the Transformation Poster 271
Transformation Story List 272
Transformation Story Map and Poster 283
Part VIII Character Motives Made Simple 288
Part IX Engaging Encounters Between Characters 294
Part X Long Range Plans for Narrative Writing 305
Part XI Story Language: Verbs, Showing, Sensory Imagery 315
Sensory Imagery and Showing Posters 322
Part XII Story Problem Vocabulary Dictionaries 337
Sequencing the Problem 338
Dictionary of Action Words to Help Describe Disaster 339
Dictionary of Action Words for Possible Stuck Problems 342
Dictionary of Action Words for Possible Contest Problems 343
Dictionary for Possible Acts of God and Magic 344
Part XIII Graphics Index 345
Australian Graphics 346
Dinosaur Graphics 349
Fairy Tale Graphics 353
Farm Graphics 361
Forest Graphics 370
Hutterite Graphics 377
Insect Graphics 381
Jungle Graphics 386
Miscellaneous Graphics 390
First Nations’ Graphics 398
Ocean Graphics 403
People Graphics 408
Pet Graphics 417
Predator Graphics 421
Sports Graphics 426
These story maps are laminated so that
story ideas can be brainstormed on them by
the teacher with an overhead pen and wiped
off when finished. The graphics are attached
with self-sticking Velcro after the poster has
been laminated. This allows the teacher to
change the graphics with ease in order to
demonstrate many story ideas for children dur-
ing carpet time.
The stuck poster uses a pocket to show
the character or object that gets stuck. The
graphics shown on the pocket could be
replaced with writing to show the attempts
made at freeing the character/object.
The copycat poster shows two characters
meeting and one copying the other’s be-
haviour. When the copying ends in either dis-
aster or success, the copycat stops causing the
characters to split up again.
The contest story shows two characters
meeting, posing a contest, having one, and the
winner emerging at the bottom.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Circle stories start and end in the same
place and require a subplot (usually stuck,
copycat or contest). Switch stories have two
objects, characters, positions etc. swapped
and changed back at the end. They also re-
quire a subplot. Transformation stories can
be physical changes or character changes
and they also require a subplot.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Sensory Imagery
Story settings are built with sensory
imagery as the author describes what is
seen, heard, felt, smelled, or tasted to
transport the reader to a setting. The sen-
sory imagery verb vocabulary used in books
can be collected into the idea bank to help
children build effective settings.
Authors also use sensory imagery to
show encounters between characters. What
a character sees, hears, feels, or smells is
used to create an interesting meeting. Sus-
pense is a scary encounter and it too, is cre-
ated using sensory imagery. The way two
characters meet is a critical part of most
stories and can also be collected from books
and added to the idea banks.
Showing
Authors use the “showing” technique
to build the emotions and motives of the
characters.
Emotions are the feelings of charac-
ters which are not overtly stated in a book.
Instead, the author takes face parts plus
verbs, body parts plus verbs, speech that is
spoken or thought, and the character’s ac-
tions to depict the emotion. If a character
were angry the author might write some-
thing like this: Frank’s eyes flashed as he
pounded his fists on the table. “Get out of
my office!” he thundered.
Motives drives the character’s actions
and the plot structure. The basic motive of
every character is what they do or do not
want. They are built through speech that is
spoken or the thoughts of the character, or
told by the omniscient narrator.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Use in a New Story Example of Planning a New Stuck Story
1. Mrs. Toggle’s
Using the Idea Bank on Page 3 and Character Graphics
Beautiful Blue Shoe
by Robyn Pulver
Shoe - Any person,
fairy tale character
Rescue: ladder
Brainstorm Sample:
Shoe could get stuck:
*in a castle draw-
bridge door
*in a moat
*in a pot of stew
*down a mine shaft
*between two rocks
*in a cave
*in a gopher hole
*in a bush
*in a trap
In stuck stories, things get stuck when a disaster (accident happens), trick,
or an act of god (weather or magic) happens to a character. They get freed/
rescued when someone helps, someone plays a trick, an act of god
(weather or magic), luck, or hard work.
1. Shoe Stuck Story using a new character and setting:
Choose: Disaster Trick Act of God
Disaster: A giant wants to go for an early morning walk. As he is walking
along he trips over a dwarf’s house and gets his shoe caught in the door-
way.
*The giant wiggles his foot and shakes the house, but nothing
happens. The dwarf is awakened and gets very upset.
*The giant tries to jump. The foundation of the house lifts
slightly, but the shoe remains caught. Now the dwarf is angry.
*The dwarf grabs his axe and chops the end of the giant’s boot.
The giant leaps backward in pain and is free of the house while
the dwarf pats his handy axe and chuckles to himself.
Have each student choose their own character from those shown above,
and plan their own shoe stuck story. Remember, in stuck stories, things get
stuck when a disaster (accident happens), trick, or an act of god (weather
or magic) happens to a character. They get freed/rescued when someone
helps, someone plays a trick, an act of god (weather or magic), luck, or
hard work.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Student Exercise: Plan a Shoe Stuck Story
Setting:
Protagonist:
Motive:Character wants...
Object (if needed):
Protagonist or Object gets Stuck because there is a:
*Trick
*Disaster (accident)
*Act of God (weather or magic)
Two Unsuccessful Ways to Free Protagonist/Object:
1.
2.
Freed because:
*Trick
*Luck
*Someone helps
*Act of god
*Hard work
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Outline for a Santa Stuck Story: You make yourself stuck by accident
Lesson One: Lesson Four:
The elf squirts liquid hand soap down
the sides of the chimney and at last
Setting: North Pole Santa slides to the bottom. For the
Character: Santa Claus rest of the night, he has to squirt each
Motive: Santa wants to deliver his pre- chimney with soap be-
sents for Christmas Eve. He flies off on his fore entering it.
sleigh full of toys into the setting sun and
heads for the first house on his list. Describe his facial expressions,
body language, speech and
actions.
Lesson Two:
When Santa enters the chimney of the first house, he gets stuck halfway
down the chimney. He is too fat, because he has eaten too many Christ-
mas goodies! The reindeer lower him a rope and try to pull him out, but
they fail.
Lesson Three:
The reindeer fly home and bring back an elf to help Santa. The elf climbs
down the chimney and tries to push Santa down by jumping on his head.
Santa howls, but doesn’t budge.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce
Student Exercise: Plan a Santa Stuck Story using the Stuck Idea Bank
Lesson One: Lesson Four:
Setting: North Pole ___________________freed because
Character: Santa Claus *trick
_______________stuck because of:
Act of God: *luck
Trick:
Disaster: *someone helps
Choose: Character or Object:
__________stuck as/by/in__________ *act of god (weather or magic)
Motive:
*hard work
Lesson Two: 1st unsuccessful attempt to free___________________________.
Lesson Three: 2nd unsuccessful attempt to free_________________________.
© by J. Moore 2000 Do not reproduce